Chapter V NUCLEAR DAMAGE CLAIMS COMMISSION

Where the Central Government, having regard to the injury or damage caused by a nuclear incident, is of the opinion that it is expedient in public interest that such claims for such damage be adjudicated by the Commission instead of a Claims Commissioner, it may, by notification, establish a Commission for the purpose of this Act.

1. (1) The Commission shall consist of a Chairperson and such other Members, not exceeding six, as the Central Government may, by notification, appoint.
2. (2) The Chairperson and other Members of the Commission shall be appointed on the recommendation of a Selection Committee consisting of three experts from amongst the persons having at least thirty years of experience in nuclear science and a retired Supreme Court Judge.
3. (3) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as the Chairperson of the Commission unless he has attained the age of fifty-five years and is or has been or qualified to be a Judge of a High Court: Provided that no appointment of a sitting judge shall be made except after consultation with the Chief Justice of India.
4. (4) A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a Member unless he has attained the age of fifty-five years and--
   • (a) has held or is holding or qualified to hold, the post of Additional Secretary to the Government of India or any other equivalent post in the Central Government and possesses special knowledge in law relating to nuclear liability arising out of nuclear incident; or
   • (b) has been a Claims Commissioner for five years.

The Chairperson or a Member, as the case may be, shall hold office as such for a term of three years from the date on which he enters upon his office and shall be eligible for reappointment for another term of three years: Provided that no person shall hold office as such Chairperson or Member after he has attained the age of sixty-seven years.

The salary and allowances payable to and other terms and conditions of service, including pension, gratuity and other retirement benefits, of the Chairperson and other Members shall be such as may be prescribed: Provided that no salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of the Chairperson or other Members shall be varied to his disadvantage after his appointment.

If, for reasons other than temporary absence, any vacancy occurs in the office of the Chairperson or Member, as the case may be, the Central Government shall appoint another person in accordance with the provisions of this Act to fill such vacancy and the proceedings may be continued before the Commission from the stage at which it was, before the vacancy is filled.

1. (1) The Chairperson or a Member may, by a notice in writing under his hand addressed to the Central Government, resign his office: Provided that the Chairperson or the Member shall, unless he is permitted by the Central Government to relinquish his office sooner, continue to hold office until the expiry of three months from the date of receipt of such notice or until a person duly appointed as his successor enters upon his office or until the expiry of his term of office, whichever is earlier.
2. (2) The Central Government shall remove from office the Chairperson or a Member who--
   • (a) has been adjudged an insolvent; or
   • (b) has been convicted of an offence which, in the opinion of the Central Government, involves moral turpitude; or
   • (c) has become physically or mentally incapable of acting as a Member; or
   • (d) has acquired such financial or other interest as is likely to affect prejudicially his functions as a Member; or
   • (e) has so abused his position as to render his continuance in office detrimental to the public interest: Provided that no Member shall be removed under clause (d) or clause (e) unless he has been given an opportunity of being heard in the matter.

A person who, immediately before the date of assuming office as a Chairperson or a Member, was in service of the Government, shall be deemed to have retired from service on the date on which he enters upon office as such, but his subsequent service as the Chairperson or a Member shall be reckoned as continuing approved service counting for pension in service to which he belonged.

If a person who, immediately before the date of assuming office as the Chairperson or a Member was in receipt of or being eligible so to do, has opted to draw, a pension, other than a disability or wound pension, in respect of any previous service under the Central Government, his salary in respect of service as the Chairperson or a Member shall be reduced--

1. (a) by the amount of that pension; and
2. (b) if he had, before assuming office, received, in lieu of a portion of the pension due to him in respect of such previous service, the commuted value thereof, by the amount of that portion of the pension.

No person shall, while holding office as a Chairperson or a Member, act as an arbitrator in any matter.

On ceasing to hold office, the Chairperson or a Member shall not appear, act or plead before the Commission.

The Chairperson shall have the power of superintendence in the general administration of the Commission and exercise such powers as may be prescribed.

1. (1) The Central Government shall provide the Commission with such officers and other employees as it may deem fit.
2. (2) The salary and allowances payable to and the terms and other conditions of service of officers and other employees of the Commission shall be such as may be prescribed.

1. (1) Every application for compensation before the Commission for nuclear damage shall be made in such form, containing such particulars and accompanied by such documents, as may be prescribed.
2. (2) Subject to the provisions of section 18, every application under sub-section (1) shall be made within a period of three years from the date of knowledge of nuclear damage by the person suffering such damage.

1. (1) The Commission shall have original jurisdiction to adjudicate upon every application for compensation filed before it under sub-section (1) of section 31 or transferred to it under section 33, as the case may be.
2. (2) Upon transfer of cases to the Commission under section 33, the Commission shall hear such applications from the stage at which it was before such transfer.
3. (3) The Chairperson may constitute benches comprising of not more than three Members of the Commission for the purpose of hearing of claims and any decision thereon shall be rendered by a majority of the Members hearing such claims.
4. (4) The Commission shall not be bound by the procedure laid down in the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908) but shall be guided by the principles of natural justice and subject to the other provisions of this Act and of any rules made thereunder, the Commission shall have the power to regulate its own procedure including the places and the times at which it shall have its sittings.
5. (5) The Commission shall have, for the purposes of discharging its functions under this Act, the same powers as are vested in a civil court under the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, (5 of 1908) while trying a suit, in respect of the following matters, namely:--
   • (a) summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person and examining him on oath;
   • (b) the discovery and production of documents;
   • (c) receiving evidence on affidavits;
   • (d) requisitioning any public record or copies thereof from any court or office;
   • (e) issuing of commission for the examination of any witness;
   • (f) any other matter which may be prescribed.
6. (6) The Commission shall, after giving notice of application to the operator and after affording an opportunity of being heard to the parties, dispose of such application within a period of three months from the date of such receipt and make an award accordingly.
7. (7) While making an award under this section, the Commission shall not take into consideration any benefit, reimbursement or amount received by the applicant in pursuance of any contract of insurance or otherwise.
8. (8) Where an operator is likely to remove or dispose of his property with the object of evading payment by him of the amount of the award, the Commission may, in accordance with the provisions of rules 1 to 4 of Order XXXIX of the First Schedule to the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 (5 of 1908), grant a temporary injunction to restrain such act.
9. (9) The Commission shall arrange to deliver copies of the award to the parties concerned within a period of fifteen days from the date of such award.
10. (10) Every award made under sub-section (6) shall be final.

Every application for compensation pending before the Claims Commissioner immediately before the date of establishment of the Commission under section 19 shall stand transferred on that date to the Commission.

Every proceeding before the Claims Commissioner or the Commission under this Act shall be deemed to be judicial proceeding within the meaning of sections 193, 219 and 228 of, and for the purposes of section 196 of, the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860).

Save as otherwise provided in section 46, no civil court (except the Supreme Court and a High Court exercising jurisdiction under articles 226 and 227 of the Constitution) shall have jurisdiction to entertain any suit or proceedings in respect of any matter which the Claims Commissioner or the Commission, as the case may be, is empowered to adjudicate under this Act and no injunction shall be granted by any court or other authority in respect of any action taken or to be taken in pursuance of any power conferred by or under this Act.

1. (1) When an award is made under sub-section (1) of section 16 or under sub-section (6) of section 32,
   • (a) the insurer or any person, as the case may be, who under the contract of insurance or financial security under section 8 is required to pay any amount in terms of such award and to the extent of his liability under such contract, shall deposit that amount within such time and in such manner as the Claims Commissioner or the Commission, as the case may be, may direct; and
   • (b) the operator shall, subject to the maximum liability specified under sub-section (2) of section 6, deposit the remaining amount by which such award exceeds the amount deposited under clause (a).
2. (2) Where any person referred to in sub-section (1) fails to deposit the amount of award within the period specified in the award, such amount shall be recoverable from such person as arrears of land revenue.
3. (3) The amount deposited under sub-section (1) shall be disbursed to such person as may be specified in the award within a period of fifteen days from the date of such deposit.

The Commission shall prepare, in such form and at such time in each financial year, as may be prescribed, an annual report giving full account of its activities during that financial year and submit a copy thereof to the Central Government which shall cause the same to be laid before each House of Parliament.

1. (1) Where the Central Government is satisfied that the purpose for which the Commission established under section 19 has served its purpose, or where the number of cases pending before such Commission is so less that it would not justify the cost of its continued function, or where it considers necessary or expedient so to do, the Central Government may, by notification, dissolve the Commission.
2. (2) With effect from the date of notification of dissolution of Commission under sub-section (1),
   • (a) the proceeding, if any, pending before the Commission as on the date of such notification shall be transferred to the Claims Commissioner to be appointed by the Central Government under sub-section (2) of section 9;
   • (b) the Chairperson and all Members of the Commission shall be deemed to have vacated their offices as such and they shall not be entitled to any compensation for premature termination of their office;
   • (c) officers and other employees of the Commission shall be transferred to such other authority or offices of the Central Government, in such manner, as may be prescribed: Provided that the officers and other employees so transferred, shall be entitled to the same terms and conditions of service as would have been held by them in the Commission: Provided further that where an officer or an employee of the Commission refuses to join the services in such other authority or office, he shall be deemed to have resigned and shall not be entitled to any compensation for premature termination of contract of service;
   • (d) all assets and liabilities of the Commission shall vest in the Central Government.
3. (3) Notwithstanding the dissolution of the Commission under sub-section (1), anything done or any action taken or purported to have been done or taken including any order made or notice issued or any appointment, confirmation or declaration made or any document or instrument executed or any direction given by the Commission before such dissolution, shall be deemed to have been validly done or taken.
4. (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the Central Government to establish the Commission subsequent to the dissolution of the Commission in accordance with the provisions of this Act.